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7 Important Steps to Lockout Tagout

Read time: 2 minutes

Find out the essential steps for effective Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) with this infographic from Master Lock, a leader in lockout tagout solutions.

With over 100 years of security expertise, Master Lock has created a 7-step LOTO process, designed to enhance workplace safety and ensure compliance with industry standards. This guide is a must-read for anyone seeking to implement or refine their LOTO safety programs, providing clear, actionable insights into lockout tagout best practices for equipment shutdown, hazardous energy control, and lockout device application.

Whether you're a professional in industrial equipment safety, looking for lock out tag out steps and procedures, or seeking to understand energy isolation best practices, this infographic offers valuable knowledge to help safeguard your workplace.

Infographic of the 7 steps to Lockout / Tagout by Master look. The text from the image is transcribed below.

Infographic adapted from Master Lock's Lockout Solutions Catalogue

Infographic Text:

Using knowledge and expertise, Master Lock recommends a 7-step process to effectively lockout equipment.

Prepare for shutdown

The authorised person must identify which sources of energy are present and must be controlled; identify what method of control will be used.
Notify all affected employees

The authorised person communicates the following information to notify affected persons:
- What is going to be locked/tagged out
- Why it is going to be locked/tagged out
- For approximately how long will the system be unavailable
- Who is responsible for the lockout/tag out
- Who to contact for more information
Equipment Shutdown

If the system is operating it should be shutdown in its normal manner.
Isolation of system from hazardous energy

Isolate the energy with a lockout device and ensure complete blockage for the duration of the maintenance operation to prevent any possibility of reactivating the flow of energy.
Lockout/Tagout
- Lock up the device and ensure it cannot be removed, and the machine cannot be inadvertently operated.
- Each lock should only have one key
- There should be as many locks on the device as there are people working on it - each of the individuals should place their OWN lock on the system. Locks can only be removed by those who installed them
Dissipation of residual or stored energy

Identify any stored energy in rams, flywheels, springs, pneumatic, or hydraulic systems and make sure it is dissipated.
Verify Isolation

Verify that the system is properly locked out before beginning any work.